After having Spicy Pork Sinigang for breakfast at a karinderya in Balanga, Bataan and a quick visit to Balanga Church, we were no in Balanga Public Transportation Terminal and were asking around on how do we get to Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor).
I thought that we should ride the jeep to Bagac since it will be passing by Diwa, the jumpoff going up Mount Samat, but we were then pointed referred to jeepneys going to Cabog-Cabog. The reason why the jeepney drivers to Bagac refer people to Cabog-Cabog when they are going to Diwa because they can pick up passengers after they pass by the town of Cabog-Cabog. This makes both jeepney routes have significant income when they get home.
Balanga Public Transportation Terminal
At around 8AM, our jeepney to Cabog-Cabog left and after 17 Pesos and 20 minutes we got down at the intersection going to Mount Samat at Diwa.
There were tricycles waiting on the intersection and they were offering 100 Pesos/person for a one-way trip to the top of Mount Samat. Unfortunately, we only had 1,000 Pesos all-in for our budget around Bataan so we kindly declined their offer.
Tricycle at the intersection to Mount Samat at Diwa, Pilar, Bataan
According to the tricycle drivers the walk would take us about 2 to 3 hours but the locals doubtedly told us that it would only take us 1 hour. Frankly, I thought the tricycle drivers were trying to exaggerate the time so that they could convince us to pay for them. There were a lot of literature also on the internet that says it would only take 1 hour.
After drinking a bottle of softdrink just to jumpstart my blood and a brief relaxing moment inside the CR we started walking to the top of Mount Samat at around 8:45AM.
Maui starting our walk to the top of Mount Samat
We passed by some people drying barbecue sticks on the road.
